ECO Science Foundation established in Islamabad

Islamabad—Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF) has been established with its headquarters in Islamabad, ECOSF Board of Trustees announced this in Islamabad Communiqué on Tuesday.

Addressing the meeting, Jamali said today ECO has achieved another milestone for betterment of its member states by organizing this meeting which rendered the ECO Science Foundation established at Islamabad.

He congratulated ECO Secretariat, ECO Secretary General and all the member countries, especially those which ratified the charter of ECOSF.

The Minister said ECOSF will provide a platform to the member countries to join hands, to share, exchange and enhance the capabilities of their scientists and technologists for each other’s benefit.

ECOSF is mandated in its Charter to evaluate and formulate training programmes for building up skilled scientific and technical manpower at regional level, said Jamali, adding, we must design programmes to strengthen our scientific, engineering and research and development institutions.

He urged the officials of ECOSF and ECO Secretariat to initiate collaborative programmes immediately to address the priority issues like global warming, climate change, energy, environment, water harvesting and conservation and reuse, biodiversity conservation and a number of others.

ECO Secretary General Muhammad Yahya Maroofi said establishment of ECOSF was beginning of a new chapter of cooperation in the field of science and technology among the member states, which is the result of fruitful culmination of efforts for this project.

The secretary general said setting up of ECOSF was a much needed breakthrough in the field of science and technology. This region has been a centre of excellence in S&T and in order to harness this potential we need to build up this strong legacy for our future generations, he added. Mr. Maroofi said ECOSF would be a befitting forum for regional integration with wide spectrum of cooperation. He assured his full support in this regard.

He expressed his sincere thanks to Pakistan’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Science Foundation for impeccable arrangements to host ECOSF Board of Trustees Meeting.

Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology Ikhlaq Ahmed Tarar in his address at the inaugural session of ECOSF Board of Trustees Meeting, urged the non-ratifying states to ratify the ECOSF charter. It took a long time to reach this stage, said Mr. Tarar, adding, ECOSF would provide a firm basis on which we can build upon our resources and capabilities.